Poland - US military relations:

Poland is adding a standoff cruise missile capability to its air force, signing an agreement to buy the Lockheed Martin AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on 11 December.

In addition to the purchase of the missiles, the programme will also include the upgrade of 46 Polish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft to carry the missiles.

Tomasz Siemoniak, Polish minister of national defence and deputy prime minister, stated during the signing ceremony at the 31 Tactical Air Base at Krzesiny that "never in [Poland's] history have we had such a modern weapon".

Poland is purchasing the new capability as part of an effort to increase its airborne, naval, and land-based long-range strike assets. This is combined with new defensive missile programmes and is intended to deter hostile actions against Poland. These efforts have been given new impetus by the crisis in Ukraine and concerns about Russia's intentions.

Following the government-to-government letter of offer and acceptance on 11 December, a contract is expected to be awarded to contractor Lockheed Martin in the first quarter of 2015, a company statement said.

The agreement to buy the JASSM follows US Congress approval on 2 October of the sale of up to 40 of the stealthy cruise missiles and the F-16 upgrade package.

According to the Polish Ministry of Defence (MoD), the upgrade process for its F-16s will include the installation of retrofit kits and new software for the aircraft to Mid-Life Update tape M6.5 standard.

Beginning in 2015 two Polish F-16s will have the new software integrated and will conduct flight-trials in the United States. The remaining 44 aircraft will receive the software upgrade and retrofit kits at Polish air bases from the second half of 2016 onwards, when the country also expects to receive its first batch of missiles.

When the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notified the possible sale of the JASSM to Poland on 17 September it estimated the maximum cost of the programme at USD500 million: a figure that Polish sources previously described as "unacceptably high".

However, Polish deputy defence minister Czeslaw Mroczek, responsible for negotiating the purchase, stated that the price of the contract "was negotiated [for a] long [time], but we received a very good price and the contract includes not only the acquisition of JASSM missiles, but also the development of customised software and training".

GarryB wrote:Complicate?

Land based SM-3 missiles violates the INF treaty...

max steel wrote:Poland orders 1,000 more Spike-LR ATGMs


Poland has placed a PLN602 million (USD152 million) order for extra Rafael Spike-LR (long-range) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).

Signed on 17 December, the contract covers the delivery of 1,000 missiles, manufactured under license by ZM Mesko in Poland.

The first 100 missiles will be delivered to Polish Land Forces in 2017, with 300 following in 2018, 300 in 2019, and the final 300 in 2020.

No new firing units are included in the order, with all the new missile containers to be equipped with a mounting attachment to allow them to be fitted to the dual launchers used on the Hitfist-30P two-crew turret that arms Poland's modernised Rosomak 8x8 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).

The new Spike-LR missiles will also be used on the dual launcher of the new Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) ZSSW-30 remote-controlled turret currently being tested by the military for the Rosomak and the 'Borsuk' future Polish tracked IFV being developed by HSW. The serial production of the ZSSW-30 turret is planned to start in 2017.

Poland selected the Spike-LR under a non-competitive process in 2002. A PLN1.49 billion contract followed in December 2003 for 264 launchers and 2,675 missiles for dismounted use by the mechanised, air assault, and air cavalry battalions. Under the original deal, 53% of the missiles were produced by ZM Mesko, including both the precursor and main warheads, launch and flight motors, argon gas titanium pressure tank, solid-fuel, a canister, and partially the servo. While CCD/IIR seeker, gyroscope, battery, and the rest of the servo components are delivered by Rafael ADS. The initial Rafael-built missiles entered Polish service in 2004, with Rafael awarding ZM Mesko a production certificate for the missiles in 2007.

Militarov wrote:"Bell Helicopter is planning to offer its AH-1Z attack helicopter to Poland for a forthcoming requirement to replace the Mil M-24s operated by the country’s land forces.

“We can provide the most cost-effective solution and state-of the-art helicopter with unmatched capability for Poland,” says Joel Best, regional director, military business development at the US manufacturer. “We are very interested in co-operation with Poland and in next few months we want to create Zulu Team with companies in the Polish defence sector,” he says.



Intriguingly, Bell is also touting the UH-1Y utility variant as a back-up plan in case Warsaw’s proposed tri-service order with Airbus Helicopters for 50 H225Ms falls through. “If something happens with the Caracal deal, Bell will be happy to provide an attack and utility combination, with 85% of technical commonality and significant cost saving,” adds Mike Gleason, international military business development at Bell."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/bell-helicopter-offers-ah-1z-and-uh-1y-helicopters-to-poland.html

KoTeMoRe wrote:

Militarov wrote:"Bell Helicopter is planning to offer its AH-1Z attack helicopter to Poland for a forthcoming requirement to replace the Mil M-24s operated by the country’s land forces.

“We can provide the most cost-effective solution and state-of the-art helicopter with unmatched capability for Poland,” says Joel Best, regional director, military business development at the US manufacturer. “We are very interested in co-operation with Poland and in next few months we want to create Zulu Team with companies in the Polish defence sector,” he says.



Intriguingly, Bell is also touting the UH-1Y utility variant as a back-up plan in case Warsaw’s proposed tri-service order with Airbus Helicopters for 50 H225Ms falls through. “If something happens with the Caracal deal, Bell will be happy to provide an attack and utility combination, with 85% of technical commonality and significant cost saving,” adds Mike Gleason, international military business development at Bell."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/bell-helicopter-offers-ah-1z-and-uh-1y-helicopters-to-poland.html

I don't know what they smoke in Poland, but the Viper is the most costly choice...But I get the Rasha Dasha vibe.

Militarov wrote:

KoTeMoRe wrote:

Militarov wrote:"Bell Helicopter is planning to offer its AH-1Z attack helicopter to Poland for a forthcoming requirement to replace the Mil M-24s operated by the country’s land forces.

“We can provide the most cost-effective solution and state-of the-art helicopter with unmatched capability for Poland,” says Joel Best, regional director, military business development at the US manufacturer. “We are very interested in co-operation with Poland and in next few months we want to create Zulu Team with companies in the Polish defence sector,” he says.



Intriguingly, Bell is also touting the UH-1Y utility variant as a back-up plan in case Warsaw’s proposed tri-service order with Airbus Helicopters for 50 H225Ms falls through. “If something happens with the Caracal deal, Bell will be happy to provide an attack and utility combination, with 85% of technical commonality and significant cost saving,” adds Mike Gleason, international military business development at Bell."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/bell-helicopter-offers-ah-1z-and-uh-1y-helicopters-to-poland.html

I don't know what they smoke in Poland, but the Viper is the most costly choice...But I get the Rasha Dasha vibe.

Well, would be for start cheaper than AH64E i suppose. But i am not sure on long run as there are not really many 1Zs around, so spares might become a bitch.

Grazneyar wrote:Has Poland just become a dumping groung for Vietnam era second hand choppers ? They will be on the hook for spares as these will be worn out. I suspect this is the most cost effective solution for US arms industry not the Polish tax payer. Will they get a refit before or will they just get worn out choppers, the US has done this before, dumping scrap Huey's with a South American nation. As for unmatched capability, they couldn't beat rice farmers, are Poland planning on spraying Russia with agent orange ?

KoTeMoRe wrote:

Militarov wrote:

KoTeMoRe wrote:

Militarov wrote:"Bell Helicopter is planning to offer its AH-1Z attack helicopter to Poland for a forthcoming requirement to replace the Mil M-24s operated by the country’s land forces.

“We can provide the most cost-effective solution and state-of the-art helicopter with unmatched capability for Poland,” says Joel Best, regional director, military business development at the US manufacturer. “We are very interested in co-operation with Poland and in next few months we want to create Zulu Team with companies in the Polish defence sector,” he says.



Intriguingly, Bell is also touting the UH-1Y utility variant as a back-up plan in case Warsaw’s proposed tri-service order with Airbus Helicopters for 50 H225Ms falls through. “If something happens with the Caracal deal, Bell will be happy to provide an attack and utility combination, with 85% of technical commonality and significant cost saving,” adds Mike Gleason, international military business development at Bell."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/bell-helicopter-offers-ah-1z-and-uh-1y-helicopters-to-poland.html

I don't know what they smoke in Poland, but the Viper is the most costly choice...But I get the Rasha Dasha vibe.

Well, would be for start cheaper than AH64E i suppose. But i am not sure on long run as there are not really many 1Zs around, so spares might become a bitch.

The AH64E doesn't fit in the Polish tender. It was never considered. The Poles wanted ToT for Tigre, they kinda got it, then it went to hell after the pussyfooting between France and Russia and when it appeared that Sikorsky wouldn't have any of that competitive shit. Factually the Viper will be MORE costly than the Tigre because the Poles will not  get a spare production line.

Also the Viper is not exactly a light attack Helicopter, it has twice the weight of the Tiger HAP, has lesser range than even the Tiger HAD and frankly will cost MORE down the years. But hey if Polsha wants to go that way...no problem.
Hell the AH64E is lighter and has more payload cap than the Viper. But none of my bid'ness.

GarryB wrote:I quite like the Cobra... but as mentioned it is getting a little old and the latest up to date versions are not that cheap anymore...

Hey, they have an ABM system they need to defend... of course they should spend money on light attack helos... ???

Just the old... if you want to be in our club you need to wear our old cast offs... Hinds and Fulcrums out and crappy only worn out Cobras and F-16s in.

It has nothing to do with the capability or otherwise of the equipment you buy,and everything to do with being inside the United States apron of protection... now you can do no wrong no matter if you burn people at the stake or sell body parts of the people you kidnap and murder... or even if you use artillery on your own population.

Not only are you no longer condemned for such actions but you can criticise Russia for anything you like with impunity because Uncle Sam has your back right?